Liquid consumption device



Jan. 10, 1950 J. R. FISH LIQUID CONSUMPTION DEVICE Filed Jan. 25, 1948 1N VEN TOR. MMA/@5% BY @n-(26 Patented Jan. 1Q, 1950 y'UNI TED vS TATES PATE N T O F F I CE LIQUID CONSUMPTION DEVICE John Robert Fish, Springfield, Mas-s.

Application n.lanuary 23, M1948," Serial No. 39 28 5 Claims. (C1. `i3- 113) This invention relates to a liquid consumption -fdevice and isdirected more particularly .to apparatus for determining certain units relative'to a certain quantity of liquid.

The apparatus-of the invention is adapted Vfor I many andvarious uses but is particularly adapted "for use -in-connection with internal combustion engines where-it is desired to determine the number of-certain/.operating units relative to a certain quantity of fuel. As an example, in connection-with a motor vehicle' it is possible to de- 'termine the 'number of1rni1esrper unit of fuel lsuch as miles pergallon.

Accordingly, `the :principal 'object of thelinvention among numerous other novelobjects and advantageslisthe provision ofapparatus for deftermining the-number'of miles per gallon of fuel lwhich an internal lcombustion Vengine `of va veihi'cle is 'capable of.

Thehapparatuso'f vthe in-vention is constructed Aand arranged -i'n a novel manner and maybe eas'ily and readily Aconnected so as to deliver lfuel -to an internal combustion engine while lat thesame-time itmaybe-suppled with fuel from the fuel supply.

The consumption of `fuel is visually indicated by the v.apparatus Vand it is readily vpossible .to 'determinefeitherthe number of miles per unit of ffuel or the quantityroffuel consumed in a certain number of miles operation while at the same ltime other and #various calculations 'and determinationsmay be made. As important features the apparatus-is self filling andfmay be connected l-solthat the vacuumsystem of van .engine may be 'utilized for-theow of fueltothe apparatus. from the fuel supply.

Withthe foregoing'and various other novel features and advantages andother .objects of my'in- 'Jvention'vas willbecome moreapparent as the de- A'scrip'tion proceeds, `thelnvention consists in Acer- "tain novel ffeatures 'of construction and in the combination and arrangementof' parts as Will be vhereinafter more particularly-pointed'out in the wayLinclu'des a lowerbase Vi andan upper cap 6 between which is'a tubular member 8.

:The member v8 .will preferably be made rfrom 'transparent vmaterial such as glass or vthe like rand opposite vends thereof will besealed to ad- .jacentsides ofthe base 4 land cap 6 in any desired and well known manner.

Acentral tubular'member IIJ has'its lower end secured in the base'whilezitstupper end extends .throughthecap 6 vand is threaded to receive an internally threadednut I2. The nut I2 bears on the cap'and the :parts Yare held in such relation las to provide a closedchamber for fuel.

A'target :I4 isprovidedin the'chamber which extends between the base and :cap and it may .be secured in placeiby any suitable means. In one way, upper screws I6 may extend through -the target andengage'with aclamp member at the rear.v `of vsaidmember I0.

vThe tubular member, lower base and cap provde a'chamber/inwhich-the target is disposed.

The centralLportion I'8=of the target is preferably1formed as'shown in fFig. 2 to lie against the `memb'erltl while-opposite sides 20 thereof extend therefrom in an angular relation.

Sight 'tubes 22 preferably made from glass or -the likeare disposed in spaced relation and'in Yparallelism lwith thefmember I0 at the forward `Vside of the target I4.

These members 22 may be secured in place .by any suitable means but 'in one form vof the invention their upper ends are disposed behind the members I6.

The sides 2U ofthe target are'provided with vertically yspaced...graduations or horizontal lines which as :shown ihave indicia adjacent thereto with indicia rextending v:upwardly at'the central iportion ofthe target.

; .are open, `the .bores .of the. members22 are relatively small, and '.the'lhorizontal graduating lines .extend behind the said members.

Withtheapparatuslina vehclethe level offuel lin the chamber .due to movements of the vehicle Vis likely to fluctuate. The transverse area .of the bores of members 22 being relatively small .there is certain -capillary attraction so that .the

level of fuel thereinis stable and slightly above `that-in the chamber.

Even though the .motion of the .vehicle-may 3 cause the level of fuel in the chamber to uctuate the target acts as a baille to overcome this tendency and accurate level is shown by members 22. The chamber may be filled to a point just above the Start graduation by connecting the device to the vacuum system of an engine. Then with the engine running, calculations may commence when the level has been reduced to theY Start graduation thereby to facilitate accuracy in measurements. n

Fuel may be delivered to the apparatus in various ways and delivered thereby to an internal combustion engine or the fuel feeding component thereof.

Fittings 30, 32 and 34 are associated with the base which may be connected to the fuel supply, vacuum system and fuel pupripj ofayehicle by pipes, as shown. y

A valve 34' is rotatable in the basewhich has a stem 36 extending through a stufng box 38.

. Axmanually engageable': member 40 `is secured to the stem 36 for turning-'the valveY and said Valve has ports 42, 44 and 46. Passageways 48, 50 and V52 inthe body are provided and other passage- Vways are provided into the chamber and member I0 which may-have a passageway into the chamber.

The ports in the'valveand passageways may i' bev arranged in variousways in order that fuel v may :befed tothe chamberand delivered thereby chamber andlfed therefrom 'to the consuming unit.'

It will .be observed'thatithetarget may be -provided with various indicia and graduations for f various purposes andV capacities of the chamber. The Vangularly disposedv sides Vof the target and the sightvtubesoverthe target and graduations readily facilitate the reading of the level of fuel within the chamber so that calculations for various purposes may be made.

The device may be secured to a vehicle or other apparatus with which the device is to be used by any suitable means such as a bracket engaging upper and lower sides of the device with Vwhich a suction cup or cups is associated.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respectsmerely as being illustrative and notv asbeing restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range ofV equivalency Y of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

, What it is desired to claim and secure by Let- Yters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, an elongated transparent tubular member andlower and upper members forming a vertically disposed chamber for liquid, a target v member extending upwardly in said chamber provided with graduations and indicia, a transparent hollow sight tube open atr opposite ends disposed in said tubular member forwardly of said target member for liquid andv in which liquid level may be observed,rand means for delivering fuel to said chamber and fordischarging the same therefrom.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, an elongated transparent tubular member and lower and upper members closing the ends thereof forming therewith a vertical closed liquid chamber, a target extending upwardly in said chamber having vertically spaced graduations and indicia on the forward face thereof, a pair of vertically extending horizontally spaced elongated transparent open ended tubular sight members disposed vin said chamber over said graduations whichfare visible therethrough, and means for admitting fuel to and discharging fuel from said chamber.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, an elongated transparent vertically disposed tubular member and upper and lower members closing opposite ends thereof and providing therewith a closed liquid compartment,

va central tubular member extending upwardly in said compartment substantially centrally thereof,V a target extending upwardly in saidcompartment forwardly of said central member having on its forward face vertically spaced graduations and indicia, a pair of horizontally spaced vertically extending transparent open ended tubular sight members disposed vin said compartment over the forward face of said target member, and means associated with said lower` member for admitting liquid to and discharging it from said chamber. f

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, anV elongated transparent vertically disposed tubular member and upper and lower members closing opposite ends thereof and providing therewith a closed liquid compartment, a central tubular member extending upwardly in said compartment substantially centrally thereof, a target extending upwardly in said compartment forwardly of said central member having side `portions extending forwardly therefrom in diverging relation from a central portion thereof, said side portions provided on their forward faces with vertically spaced graduations and indicia, separate elongated transparent open ended tubular sight members disposed adjacent forward faces of said side'portions of the target and extending longitudinally thereof, said sight members being of relatively small diameter and being disposed over said graduations which are visible therethrough, and means associated withV said lower` member for admitting liquid to said compartment and discharging the same therefrom, all adapted and arrangedfwhereby the level of liquid in said sight members is relatively free of spurious fluctuations of the level of liquid in said chamber.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, an elongated transparent vertically disposed tubular member'and upper and lower members closing opposite ends thereof and providing therewith a closed liquid compartment, a central tubular member extending upwardly of vsaid compartment substantially centrally thereof, a target extending upwardly in said compartment forwardly of said central member having side portions extending forwardly therefrom in diverging relation from a central portion thereof, said side portions provided on their forward faces with vertically vspaced graduations `and Y target and extending longitudinally thereof, said sight members being considerably less in diameter than said chamber Yand disposed over' said gradu- 6 REFERENCES man The following references are of record in the me o! this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name l Date 1,718,553 Gauthier June 25, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS lo Number Country Date 64,125 Germany Feb. 2, 1892 99,949 Sweden Oct. 1, 1940 

